China now has 52 sites included on the UNESCO...

China now has 52 sites included on the UNESCO World Heritage list, which was established to safeguard unique and irreplaceable cultural and natural sites around the world. Let’s have a look at some of them, which may give you some clues on your next travel plan.

Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor

The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor is located in Lintong county, near Xi’an city, capital of Shaanxi province. A total of 8,000 life-size terracotta warriors, chariots and horses, and hundreds of bronze weapons have been unearthed from it. Many state leaders and experts worldwide believe that the discovery of the mausoleum is a major archeological find and can be called the eighth wonder of the world, paralleling Egypt’s pyramids.

Kulangsu, a Historic International Settlement

Gulangyu Island, known in the local dialect as Kulangsu, is located on the entry of the Jiulong River, facing the city of Xiamen. The island was occupied by at least a dozen countries, including Great Britain, France and Japan. As a result, Western culture grew rapidly there in the 19th century, especially music. With such a harmonious blend of Western music and Eastern culture, Gulangyu is naturally referred to as the “island of music”. It is famous for its outstanding musicians and musical instruments.

Qinghai Hoh Xil

Hoh Xil, which means “beautiful girl” in Mongolian, is located in the north-eastern end of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Hoh Xil National Nature Reserve is China’s largest and the world’s third largest uninhabited area. Because of the high altitude and fierce weather, it is impossible for people to live there, and therefore, it is a paradise for wildlife and home to more than 230 species of wild animals including endangered species such as the Tibetan antelope, which is recognized as the National Class I Protected animal.

Huangshan Mountain

Huangshan, known as “the loveliest mountain of China”, lies in the south of Anhui province in eastern China. The scenic area covers 154 sq km, and is famous for its peaks, rocks, pines, clouds and springs. It also has a rich cultural heritage. Xu Xiake, a famous traveler of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), visited Huangshan twice, and described it in a poem, calling it the best of all mountains in China. Today it holds the same fascination for visitors, poets, painters and photographers.

1.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?

A. Qinghai Hoh Xil is the largest uninhabited area in the world.

B. Kulangsu was occupied for not less than a dozen years.

C. Mausoleum is located in the capital city of Shaanxi province.

D. Huangshan Mountain is well known for its magnificent scenery.

2.Why is Qinghai Hoh Xil a paradise for wildlife living there?

A. Because endangered species are well protected there.

B. Because it is large in size with beautiful scenery.

C. Because it is located on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

D. Because tough weather and environment make no people live there.

3.Where does the passage most probably come from?

A. A travel guidebook　　 B. An entertainment magazine

C. A science fiction　　 D. A history textbook

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

China has more than 30 intangible cultural heritage(非物质文化遗产) recognized by the UNESCO, including paper-cutting, the Dragon Boat Festival, Peking Opera, acupuncture(针灸) and so on. The organization adopted a decision that China’s “The Twenty-Four Solar Terms”(二十四节气) should be put on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016 in Ethiopia.

The Twenty-Four Solar Terms, knowledge of time and practices in agriculture, starts from the beginning of Spring and ends with the Greater Cold, moving in cycles. It developed through thee observation of the sun’s annual movement in China. In ancient time, the method of tugui, earth sundial(日暑), was used to measure the shadow of the sun for determining the solar terms.

The Twenty-Four Solar Terms came into being and developed in close relationship with Chinese agricultural production. At the initial（最初的） stage of agricultural development, people began to explore the seasonal rules in the agricultural production to meet the needs in seeding, harvesting and other activities. Gradually, they formed the concept of “seed in spring, grow in summer, harvest in autumn and store in winter”. During the spring and autumn periods, the agricultural production was highly influenced by the seasonal changes, thus forming the concept of Solar Terms.

As a traditional Chinese knowledge system of time with a history of thousands of years, the Twenty-Four Solar Terms clearly expresses the concepts of respect for nature, and harmony between man and nature. Created by Chinese ancestors, it has functioned as a complete set of weather calendar(日历) to guide the agricultural production in China. It has also been introduced into North Korea, Japan and other neighboring countries and still used in Japan. The Chinese heritage has provably influenced the people’s way of thinking and behaving and will continue to be an important carrier of Chinese cultural identity.

1.According to the first two paragraphs, the Twenty-Four Solar Terms______.

A. was used to measure the shadow of the sun

B. has not been listed as one intangible cultural heritage of humanity

C. repeats from the Beginning of Spring to the Greater Cold every year

D. is the best intangible cultural heritage recognized by the UNESCO

2.We can learn from the text that _______ in China in the past.

A. the Twenty-Four Solar Terms only influenced spring and autumn

B. the Twenty-Four Solar Terms had something to do with agriculture

C. people cared about the changes of weather just for fun

D. agricultural production highly influenced the seasonal changes

3.We can infer from the text that the Twenty-Four Solar Terms _______.

A. is an agricultural calendar merely used in China

B. is strongly influenced by North Korea and Japan

C. is scarcely connected with natural rules

D. is part of traditional Chinese culture

高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

China has more than 30 intangible cultural heritage(非物质文化遗产) recognized by the UNESCO, including paper-cutting, the Dragon Boat Festival, Peking Opera, acupuncture(针灸) and so on. The organization adopted a decision that China’s “The Twenty-Four Solar Terms”(二十四节气) should be put on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016 in Ethiopia.

The Twenty-Four Solar Terms, knowledge of time and practices in agriculture, starts from the beginning of Spring and ends with the Greater Cold, moving in cycles. It developed through thee observation of the sun’s annual movement in China. In ancient time, the method of tugui, earth sundial(日暑), was used to measure the shadow of the sun for determining the solar terms.

The Twenty-Four Solar Terms came into being and developed in close relationship with Chinese agricultural production. At the initial（最初的） stage of agricultural development, people began to explore the seasonal rules in the agricultural production to meet the needs in seeding, harvesting and other activities. Gradually, they formed the concept of “seed in spring, grow in summer, harvest in autumn and store in winter”. During the spring and autumn periods, the agricultural production was highly influenced by the seasonal changes, thus forming the concept of Solar Terms.

As a traditional Chinese knowledge system of time with a history of thousands of years, the Twenty-Four Solar Terms clearly expresses the concepts of respect for nature, and harmony between man and nature. Created by Chinese ancestors, it has functioned as a complete set of weather calendar(日历) to guide the agricultural production in China. It has also been introduced into North Korea, Japan and other neighboring countries and still used in Japan. The Chinese heritage has provably influenced the people’s way of thinking and behaving and will continue to be an important carrier of Chinese cultural identity.

1.According to the first two paragraphs, the Twenty-Four Solar Terms______.

A. was used to measure the shadow of the sun

B. has not been listed as one intangible cultural heritage of humanity

C. repeats from the Beginning of Spring to the Greater Cold every year

D. is the best intangible cultural heritage recognized by the UNESCO

2.We can learn from the text that _______ in China in the past.

A. the Twenty-Four Solar Terms only influenced spring and autumn

B. the Twenty-Four Solar Terms had something to do with agriculture

C. people cared about the changes of weather just for fun

D. agricultural production highly influenced the seasonal changes

3.We can infer from the text that the Twenty-Four Solar Terms _______.

A. is an agricultural calendar merely used in China

B. is strongly influenced by North Korea and Japan

C. is scarcely connected with natural rules

D. is part of traditional Chinese culture

高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

The following properties which the World Heritage Committee （世界遗产委员会）has decided to include on the List of World Heritage are under threat.

Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley （Afghanistan）

The cultural landscape and archaeological remains of the Bamiyan Valley stand for the artistic and religious developments which from the 1st to the 13th centuries characterized ancient Bakhtria. The area contains a number of Buddhist monastic ensembles, as well as strong buildings from the Islamic period.

Historic Centre of Vienna （Austria）

Vienna developed from early Celtic and Roman settlements into a Medieval and Baroque city, the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It played an important role as a leading European music centre, from the great age of Viennese Classicism through the early part of the 20th century. The historic centre of Vienna is rich in architectural buildings, including Baroque castles and gardens, as well as the late-19th-century Ringstrasse lined with grand buildings, monuments and parks.

Okapi Wildlife Reserve （Democratic Republic of the Congo）

The Okapi Wildlife Reserve occupies about one-fifth of the Ituri forest in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Congo river basin, of which the reserve and forest are a part, is one of the largest drainage systems in Africa. The reserve contains threatened species of primates and birds surviving in the wild. It also has some amazing scenery, including waterfalls on the Ituri and Epulu rivers. The reserve is inhabited by traditional nomadic pygmy Mbuti and Efe hunters.

1.Which of the following heritage sites is located in Asia?

A.Okapi Wildlife Reserve.

B.Historic Centre of Vienna.

C.The Austro-Hungarian Empire.

D.Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley.

2.Who may get interested in Historic Centre of Vienna?

A.Music composers.

B.Birds researchers.

C.Modem building lovers.

D.Natural Scenery Photographer.

3.What do the three world heritage sites have in common?

A.They are all in danger.

B.They are closed to the public.

C.They feature lots of ancient buildings.

D.They are to be removed from the World Heritage List.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The Zhoukoudian Beijing Man Site is one of the most important world heritage sites in China．Since the discovery, which changed China’s knowledge of its history, was made in the 1920s, Zhoukoudian has become an important place for archaeologists from all over the world．At the site in the south-west suburb of Beijing, there is, for example, the earliest evidence of the use of fire by humans．It has also been proved that people lived there continuously between 500,000 and 10,000 years ago．

Today, however, Zhoukoudian is in serious danger．Parts of the cave have been badly affected by rain and exposure to the air．Some areas are almost completely covered in weeds, causing serious damage．Pollution from nearby cement factories has also contributed to the problem．

The site is extremely expensive to maintain and it will cost between three and five million yuan to repair it．At the moment, visitors are not allowed to visit the caves．

Zhoukoudian is on the World Cultural Heritage List, organized by UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization．The list is constantly checked．Any site which is seriously damaged or which is not properly protected is an endangered heritage, and UNESCO is very quick to do something about situations like this．They have recommended that the site be closed and repaired．If nothing is done to repair it, it could be removed from the list．

This is a very serious matter and the Chinese Academy of Sciences is trying to raise public awareness about it．They have suggested that the general public be encouraged to help with the problem．A professor at the Academy has proposed that a fund be established to raise money．

Dr Zhu Ming of the Academy said, “ We have requested that the government get involved, but we also need assistance from ordinary people．They can help by contributing to the cost of repairing the caves．They are a precious part of our cultural heritage—it is of vital importance that we do something．If not, it will be a catastrophe．”

1.Why is Zhoukoudian of great importance in China?

A．Because the site tells some information about how man lived in the old times．

B．Because it has brought in lots of money as a place of interest．

C．Because it is the only place in China on the World Cultural Heritage List．

D．Because it changed our knowledge of China’s history of the 1920’s．

2.What is the second paragraph about?

A．Zhoukoudian’s discovery               B．Zhoukoudian’s future

C．Zhoukoudian’s in danger               D．Zhoukoudian’s protection

3.The following has caused the damage of the site except________________．

A．Weeds             B．Rain                C．Fire                D．Cement factories

4.The passage suggests that to repair Zhoukoudian, Chinese Academy of Sciences is seeking help from_________．

A．Archaeologists from all over the world

B．Government and the public

C．Experts from UNESCO

D．Visitors

5.Which of the following can replace the underlined word “catastrophe”?

A．case                B．worry              C．wonder            D．disaster

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

The historic center of Vienna has been added to UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage list．Thus, St．Stephen's Cathedral, the Imperial Palace and many other historic buildings are now recognized as being among the 700 outstanding cultural and natural monuments of mankind - others include the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur, the historic center of Rome, the Kremlin with the Red Square, the Chinese Wall, the Taj Mahal and the Grand Canyon．

Vienna's historic center, in its unity, is considered one of the most beautiful city landmarks in Europe．Three eras left their mark on the former residence of the Habsburgs: the Middle Ages with Gothic St．Stephen's Cathedral whose spire points toward heaven, one of Vienna's landmarks; the Baroque whose most important achievement is the Imperial Palace with its sumptuous cupolas（奢华的圆顶）．And the Ring Boulevard era of the late nineteenth century, when such splendid buildings as the Vienna State Opera and the Museum of Fine Arts were built to replace the former city walls．

The imperial flair of the center of Vienna is enhanced (加强) by numerous churches, mansions and parks, as well as by rich art collections gathered by wealthy rulers．And the centuries-old musical tradition ranges from the Court Chapel of the Imperial Palace to Mozart's immortal（不朽的）music and the waltzes of Johann Strauss．Also inseperably linked to the center of the city are the delights of Viennese cuisine, the gemütlichkeit of Viennese coffeehouses and nostalgic shopping at former purveyors（伙食承办商）to the imperial court．

1.Which of the following is not mentioned as cultural and natural monuments of man-kind?

A． the Taj Mahal

B． the Pyramid Fields

C． the Kremlin with the Red Square

D． the Court Chapel

2.The second paragraph is developed mainly by ____．

A． following the order of place

B． providing examples

C． making comparisons

D． analyzing causes

3.What does the underlined words “imperial flair” in the last paragraph mean?

A． culture atmosphere

B． art style

C． royal style

D． royal palace

4.What is the passage mainly about ?

A． The universal value of the world heritage in Vienna

B． Vienna’s becoming one of the cultural and natural monuments of mankind

C． The introduction of the historic center of Vienna

D． The special culture atmosphere of the historic center of Vienna

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The historic center of Vienna has been added to UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage list. Thus, St. Stephen's Cathedral, the Imperial Palace and many other historic buildings are now recognized as being among the 700 outstanding cultural and natural monuments of mankind - others include the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur, the historic center of Rome, the Kremlin with the Red Square, the Chinese Wall, the Taj Mahal and the Grand Canyon.

Vienna's historic center, in its unity, is considered one of the most beautiful city landmarks in Europe. Three eras left their mark on the former residence of the Habsburgs: the Middle Ages with Gothic St. Stephen's Cathedral whose spire points toward heaven, one of Vienna's landmarks; the Baroque whose most important achievement is the Imperial Palace with its sumptuous cupolas (奢华的圆顶). And the Ring Boulevard era of the late nineteenth century, when such splendid buildings as the Vienna State Opera and the Museum of Fine Arts were built to replace the former city walls.

The imperial flair of the center of Vienna is enhanced (加强) by numerous churches, mansions and parks, as well as by rich art collections gathered by wealthy rulers. And the centuries-old musical tradition ranges from the Court Chapel of the Imperial Palace to Mozart's immortal (不朽的) music and the waltzes of Johann Strauss. Also inseperably linked to the center of the city are the delights of Viennese cuisine, the gemütlichkeit of Viennese coffeehouses and nostalgic shopping at former purveyors (伙食承办商) to the imperial court.

1.Which of the following is not mentioned as cultural and natural monuments of

man-kind?

A. the Taj Mahal

B. the Pyramid Fields

C. the Kremlin with the Red Square

D. the Court Chapel

2.The second paragraph is developed mainly by ____.

A. following the order of place　　 B. providing examples

C. making comparisons　　　　　　　　 D. analyzing causes

3.What does the underlined words “imperial flair” in the last paragraph mean?

A. culture atmosphere　　 B. art style

C. royal style　　　 　　　　 D. royal palace

4.What is the passage mainly about ?

A. The universal value of the world heritage in Vienna

B. Vienna’s becoming one of the cultural and natural monuments of mankind

C. The introduction of the historic center of Vienna

D. The special culture atmosphere of the historic center of Vienna

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

China ________ the agreement and there are now 31 Chinese sites ________ the

World Heritage list.

A．wrote；on　                             B．signed；on

C．agreed；in　                         D．preserved；in

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Tulou, the special residential architecture of Fujian Province was included on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List during the 32nd session of the World Heritage Committee in Quebec, Canada.

In the fourth century, Han Chinese living in the Central Plains area began to migrate south, gradually gathering in Fujian and forming the Hakka communities. As a defence against enemies, the Hakkas chose to live in compact(紧凑的) communities, and the tulou was their preferred houses. Tens of thousands of such earthen structures were constructed in Fujian Province.

Most tulous are to be found in the valleys, surrounded by high mountains, and some are in the depths of the great mountains. Most are three to four stories high, and look like circular blockhouses（堡垒）. Rooms on the first floor are used as kitchens, rooms on the second floor are used as barns(谷仓), and rooms on the third and fourth floors are for bedrooms and living rooms. For defensive purposes, the rooms on the first floor have no windows.

Raw materials for the tulou were obtained locally. Their main building material was a mixture of clay, sand, lime and water, and egg whites, brown sugar and rice water were added as adhesive agents（粘合剂）. It was then mixed to form the walls. Once they dried, the walls were so hard that driving a nail into them would have been difficult. Fir branches, which are extremely strong and do not rot, were used to strengthen them, and many centuries later they have remained their original look.

Tulous are located in a region where earthquakes happen frequently, and their circular construction helps them resist the regular shocks.

The proven design even inspired one famous Peruvian architect, who paid several visits to Yongding, to build a tulou back home. Not long after, an earthquake struck only 10 kilometers away, and while all the houses around the earthen building fell down, his tulou remained.

1.From the passage , we know that Tulou ______.

A. is a special residential architecture of Han Chinese in Fujian even today

B. was once the place where the Hakkas chose to live together

C. stands in the valleys and is also modern people’s preferred houses

D. looks like circular blockhouses but easy to fall down in the earthquake

2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Hakkas built tulous when they lived in the Central Plains area

B. Raw materials for the tulou were obtained from far away

C. It is difficult to dig a hole into the walls of the tulou

D. Fir branches may help them resist the regular shocks

3.What would be the best title for the passage?

A. One of UNESCO’s World Heritage List

B. The Function of Tulous

C. Yongding County and The Hakkas

D. The special Earthen Architecture of Fujian

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The Chinese abacus(算盘), officially ______ as a cultural heritage at the 8th Annual UNESCO World Heritage Congress, is another symbol of Chinese wisdom.

A. having listed        B. listed            C. having been listed        D. listing

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析